WO2004079017A2

WO2004079017A2 - System to produce sugar from sugar beets

Info

Publication number: WO2004079017A2
Application number: PCT/US2003/034593
Authority: WO
Inventors: David O. Sanders
Original assignee: Co2 Solutions LLC
Current assignee: Co2 Solutions LLC
Priority date: 2003-02-26
Filing date: 2003-10-29
Publication date: 2004-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 2005-08-26
Also published as: AU2003290544A1; AU2003290544A8; WO2004079016A2; AU2003286793A8; AU2003286793A1; WO2004076696A1; WO2004079017A3; WO2004079016A3

Abstract

A system for the production of sugar from sugar beets which can include independently or in various combinations a gas separator (29) to separate gas (22) mixed with sugar beet juice (23), a sugar beet juice aeration containment element (33), or a sugar beet juice evacuation containment element (46) to transfer materials from sugar beet juice (23).

Description

SYSTEM TO PRODUCE SUGAR FROM SUGAR BEETS

This International Patent Cooperation Treaty Patent Application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Patent Application Nos. 60/450,460, filed February 26, 2003, and 60/457,516, filed March 24, 2003, each hereby incorporated by reference.

I. TECHNICAL FIELD

A system for the production of sugar from sugar beets, including devices and methods to transfer material from sugar beet juice.

II. BACKGROUND

Sugar beets contain sucrose, C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁, a condensation molecule that links one glucose monosaccharide and one fructose monosaccharide. Among many other factors, the amount of sucrose produced by sugar beets can be dependent on the genetic strain, soil or fertilization factors, weather conditions during growth, incidence of plant disease, degree of maturity, or treatment between harvesting and processing.

Sucrose is concentrated in sugar beet root. The sugar beet can be harvested and sugar beet juice containing a certain concentration of sucrose can be obtained from the sugar beet root by milling, diffusion, pressing, or other processing methods. Diffusion is perhaps the most common method for transferring sugar beet juice from the sugar beet root (hereinafter the term "diffusion" is intended to encompass any manner of removing sugar beet juice from the sugar beet root). To facilitate diffusion, sugar beet root can be sliced or cut into smaller pieces, often thin strips referred to as cossettes (hereinafter the term "cossette" is intend to encompass any portion of the sugar beet root whether obtained from milling, cutting, slicing, or otherwise). The sugar beet cossettes can be introduced into one end of a diffuser while a diffusion liquid, such as warm water, enters the other end. This counter-current diffusion of sugar beet cossettes can transfer about 98 percent of the sucrose from the cossette to the diffusion liquid. The diffused sugar beet juice mixed with the diffusion liquid is conventionally referred to as "diffusion juice" (hereinafter, unless otherwise indicated, the term "sugar beet juice" is intended to broadly encompass raw sugar beet juice, diffusion juice, or any subsequent process liquid derived from raw sugar beet juice during subsequent purification to sugar). Diffused sugar beet cossettes from the diffuser can still hold some sucrose containing sugar beet juice. The diffused sugar beet cossettes can be pressed, in a screw press or in other types of presses, to squeeze as much sugar beet juice from them as possible. This sugar beet juice often referred to as "pulp press water" which can have a pH of about 5 is often returned to the diffuser as part of the diffusion liquid. After pressing, the press pulp can still contain about 75% moisture. To increase the amount of sugar beet juice obtained as pulp press water cationic charged pressing aids can be added to the diffused sugar beet cossettes during pressing. The addition of such pressing aids can lower the press pulp moisture content by about 1.5 to 2%.

Diffusion of sugar beet cosettes results in a sugar beet process liquid containing sucrose, non-sucrose substances, and water. The type, kind, or amount of non-sucrose substances in sugar beet juice can vary and may include all manner of plant derived substances and non-plant derived substances, including, but not limited to: insoluble material, such as, plant fiber or soil particles; and soluble materials, such as, fertilizer, sucrose, or saccharides other than sucrose, organic and inorganic non-sugars, organic acids, inorganic acids, dissolved gases, proteins, phosphates, metal ions (for example, iron, aluminum, or magnesium ions), pectins, colored materials, saponins, waxes, fats, or gums, their associated or linked moieties, or derivatives thereof.

Conventional sugar beet juice process systems further involve steps that increasingly clarify, purify, or refine sugar beet juice to obtain sugar. Typically, a portion of the insoluble or suspended material in sugar beet juice can be removed using one or more mechanical processes, such as screening. Screened sugar beet juice may contain about 82%-85% by weight water, about 13-15% by weight sucrose, about 2.0-3.0% by weight dissolved non-sucrose substances or impurities, and some amount of remaining insoluble materials.

Further treatment of sugar beet juice by the gradual addition of a base to increase the pH from an initial pH of between about 5.5 pH to about 6.5 pH to obtain a final pH of between about 11.5 pH to about 11.8 pH allows certain non-sucrose substances in sugar beet juice to reach their respective iso-electric points which can result in the generation of floe (hereinafter "floe" is intended to broadly encompass any type of floe, aggregation of floe, aggregation of floe to a particle, precipitate formed, or other solid suspended in sugar beet juice) which can be removed by sedimentation, settling, filtering, or a combination thereof. In the context of conventional sugar beet juice purification, this step is often referred to as "preUming", however, the use of this term is not meant to limit use of the invention only to sugar beet juice process systems that utilize a preliming step. Rather, it should be understood that the invention can be used in a wide variety of sugar beet juice process systems in which it may be desirable to utilize base to raise pH of juice prior to a subsequent process step, such as a filtration step, as described by United States Patent Nos. 4,432,806, 5,759,283, or the like; an ion exchange step as described in British Patent No. 1,043,102, or United States Patent Nos. 3, 618, 589, 3,785,863, 4,140,541, 4,331,483, 5,466,294, or the like; a chromatography step as described by United States Patent Nos. 5,466,294, 4,312,678, 2,985,589, 4,182,633, 4,412,866, 5,102,553, or the like; or an ultrafilitration step as described by United States Patent No. 4,432,806, or the like; phase separation as described by United States Patent No. 6,051,075, or the like; process systems that add active materials to the final carbonation vessel as described by United States Patent No. 4,045,242, each hereby incorporated by reference.

The use of the term "base" is intended to encompass materials that are capable of increasing the pH of sugar beet juice including, but not limited to the use of lime or the underflow from processes that utilize lime. The use of the term "lime" is intended to encompass the use of quick lime or calcium oxides formed by heating calcium (generally in the form of limestone) in oxygen and milk of lime which may be preferred in conventional juice process systems, and consists of a suspension of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH) ) in accordance with the following reaction:

CaO+H₂ O ±5 Ca(OH)₂ +15.5 Cal.

The use of the term "iso-electric point" relates to the pH at which dissolved or colloidal materials, such as proteins, within sugar beet juice have a zero electrical potential. When such dissolved or colloidal materials reach their designated iso-electric points, they may form a plurality of solid particles, precipitates, flocculate, or floe. Functionally, floe may be an association of a core or substrate combined with other solid particles or flocculates in the treated sugar beet juice. This association can increase the size, weight or density of the floe facilitating settling or filtration and removal from sugar beet juice.

The resulting mixture of sugar beet juice, residual lime, excess calcium carbonate, and floe may further undergo "cold main liming" to stabilize the solids formed in the preliming step. The cold main liming step may involve the addition of about another 0.3-0.7% lime by weight of prelimed sugar beet juice, or more depending on the quality of the prelimed juice, undertaken at a temperature of between about 30°C to about 40°C.

The cold main limed sugar beet juice may then be "hot main limed" to further degrade invert sugar or other materials that are not stable to this step. Hot main liming may involve the further addition of lime to increase the pH of the sugar beet juice to between about 12 pH and about 12.5 pH. This can result in a portion of tl e soluble non-sucrose materials that were not affected by preceding addition of base or lime to decompose. In particular, hot main liming of sugar beet juice may achieve thermostability by partial decomposition of invert sugar, amino acids, amides, and other dissolved non-sucrose materials.

After cold or hot main liming, the mam limed sugar beet juice can be subjected to a first carbonation step in which carbon dioxide gas can be combined with the main limed sugar beet juice. The carbon dioxide gas reacts with residual lime in the main limed sugar beet juice to produce calcium carbonate in the form of precipitate. Not only may residual lime be removed by this procedure (typically about 95% by weight of the residual lime), but also the surface-active calcium carbonate precipitate may trap substantial amounts of remaining soluble non-sucrose substances. Furthermore, calcium carbonate precipitate may function as a filter aid in the physical removal of solid materials from the main limed and carbonated sugar beet juice.

The clarified sugar beet juice obtained from the first carbonation step may then be subjected to additional liming steps, heating steps, carbonation steps, filtering steps, membrane ultrafiltration steps, chromatograpic separation steps, or ion exchange steps, as above described, or combinations, permutations, or derivations thereof, to further clarify or purify the sugar beet juice obtained from the first carbonation step resulting in a processed sugar beet juice often referred to as "thin juice".

This further clarified sugar beet juice or "thin juice" may be thickened by evaporation of a portion of the water content to yield a product conventionally referred to as "syrup". Evaporation of a portion of the water content may be performed in a multi-stage evaporator. This technique is used because it is an efficient way of using steam and it can also create another, lower grade, steam which can be used to drive the subsequent crystallization process, if desired. The thickened clarified sugar beet juice or "syrup" can be placed into a container, which may typically hold 60 tons or more. In the container, even more water is boiled off until conditions are right for sucrose or sugar crystals to grow. Because it may be difficult to get the sucrose or sugar crystals to grow well, some seed crystals of sucrose or sugar are added to initiate ciystal formation. Once the crystals have grown the resulting mixture of crystals and remaining juice can be separated. Conventionally, centrifuges are used to separate the two. The separated sucrose or sugar crystals are then dried to a desired moisture content before being packed, stored, transported, or further refined, or the like.

There is a global commercial market for products derived from sugar beets or sugar beet juice. Conventional sugar beet process systems utilize the remaining plant material and the sugar beet juice resulting from diffusion as described by United States Patent Nos. 6,051,075; 5,928,42; or 5,480,490, each hereby incoiporated by reference, or as described by "Sugar Technology, Beet and Cane Sugar Manufacture" by P. W. van der Poel et al. (1998); or "Beet- Sugar Technology" edited by R.A. McGinnis, Third Edition (1982); each hereby incoiporated by reference herein, to generate various types of: process juices; solids prepared from the remaining plant material or separated from such process juices during their clarification, purification or refining; sugar or sucrose containing juices; sugar or sucrose crystallized from such sugar or sucrose containing juices; mother liquors of such ciystallization of sugar or sucrose, along with the various combinations, permutations, by products, or derivative products thereof, each having a level of impurities consistent with the process steps utilized, or consistent with conventional standards for a type or kind of product including, but not limited to: animal feeds containing plant material from which juice has been removed (such as exhausted beet cossettes, pulp, or bagasse); power generated using plant material from which juice has been removed as a fuel to boil water and generate high pressure steam to drive turbine(s) to make electricity, or to generate low pressure steam for use in sugar beet juice process steps, or to generate low grade heat; syrup ranging from pure sucrose solutions such as those sold to industrial users to treated syrups incorporating flavors and colors, or those incorporating some invert sugar to prevent crystallization of sucrose (for example, golden syrup); molasses obtained by removal of all or any part of the crystallizable sucrose or sugar, or products derived from molasses (one example being treacle); alcohol distilled from molasses; bianco directo or plantation sugars generated by sulfitation using sulfur dioxide (SO2) as a bleaching agent; juggeri or gur generated by boiling sucrose or sugar containing juices until essentially diy; juice sugar from melting refined white sugar or from syrup(s) which may be further decolorized; demerara; muscovado; rapedura; panela; turbina; raw sugar which can be 94-98 percent sucrose, the balance being molasses, ash, and other trace elements; refined sugars such as extra fine granulated having a quality based upon "bottlers" quality specified by the National Soft Drink Association being water white and at least 99.9 percent sucrose; specialty white sugars, such as, caster sugar, icing sugar, sugar cubes, or preserving sugar; brown sugars that can be manufactured by spraying and blending white refined sugar with molasses which can be light or dark brown sugar depending on the characteristics of the molasses; or powdered sugar made in various degrees of fineness by pulverizing granulated sugar in a powder mill and which may further contain corn starch or other chemicals to prevent caking. This list is not meant to be exhaustive with respect to tlie products that can be generated from conventional sugar process systems, but rather, it is meant to provide examples of the enormous variety of products that can be generated from sugar beets.

The market for products produced from sugar beets has sufficient size that even a slight reduction in the cost of a single process system step can yield a substantial and desired monetary savings. As such, there is great incentive to perform research in sugar or juice process systems by the sugar industry to yield process system savings, by independent researchers and by distributors who may be paid for novel process system chemicals and equipment, and in some cases have a further incentive by additional payments based upon a percentage of the savings within the process when improvements are made.

Even though process systems for the purification of sucrose containing juices from certain plant materials have been established and improved upon for at least 1000 years, and specifically with regard to sugar beets, for which there has been commercial process systems for more than 100 years, and even though there is great incentive to generate improvements within sugar or juice process systems, significant problems with regard to the processing of juices obtained from plant material remain.

A significant problem with conventional sugar process systems can be that non-sucrose substances within sugar beet juice can be highly colored, thermally unstable, interfere with certain sugar process steps, or adversely impact the quality or quantity of the sugar resulting from the purification of sugar beet juice. It has been estimated that on average one pound of non- sucrose substances in sugar beet juice can reduce the quantity of sugar resulting from a sugar beet juice purification process by one and one-half pounds. As such, it may be desirable to remove or separate, all of or a portion of, one or more of these non-sucrose substances from sugar beet juice prior to subsequent process steps.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems can be the expense of obtaining and using base, such as calcium oxide, to increase pH of sugar beet juice. Calcination can be expensive because it requires tlie purchase of a kiln, limestone, and fuel, such as gas, oil, coal, or the like, that can be combusted to raise the temperature of the kiln sufficiently to release carbon dioxide from the limestone. Calcium oxide generated by calcination must be converted to calcium hydroxide for use in typical juice process systems. Ancillary equipment to transport the limestone and the fuel to the kiln, remove the resulting calcium oxide from the kiln, and covert the calcium oxide to calcium hydroxide, must be provided. Certain kiln gases and particles must be removed from the kiln air exhausted during calcination of the limestone. Of course, labor must be provided to operate and maintain the equipment, monitor the quality of the calcined limestone and calcium hydroxide, and implement clean up of gases and particulates released during operation of the kiln.

A related problem with the production and use of base, such as calcium oxide, in conventional process systems can be disposal of excess base or of by products formed when base reacts with organic acids or inorganic acids in sugar beet juice. When sugar beet process systems use one or more carbonation steps in clarifying or purifying sugar beet juice, the amount of calcium carbonate or other salts formed, often referred to as "spent lime", will be proportionate to the amount of lime added to the sugar beet juice. Simply put, the greater the amount of lime added to the sugar beet juice, generally the greater the amount of precipitates formed during the carbonation step. The "carbonation lime" may be allowed to settle to the bottom of the carbonation vessel forming what is sometimes referred to as a "lime mud". The lime mud can be separated by a rotaiy vacuum filter, or plate and frame press. The product formed is then called "lime cake". The lime cake or lime mud may largely be calcium carbonate precipitate but may also contain sugars, other organic or inorganic matter, or water. These separated precipitates are almost always handled separately from other process system wastes and may have be slunied with water and pumped to settling ponds or areas surrounded by levees or transported to land fills.

Alternately, the carbonation lime, lime mud, or lime cake can be recalcined. However, the cost of a recalcining kiln and the peripheral equipment to recalcine spent lime can be substantially more expensive than a kiln for calcining limestone. Furthermore, the quality of recalcined "carbonation lime" can be different than calcined limestone. The purity of calcined limestone compared to recalcined carbonation lime may be, as but one example, 92% compared with 77%. As such, the amount of recalcined lime required to neutralize the same amount of sugar beet juice may be correspondingly higher. As such, not only can recalcined lime be expensive to generate, it can also require a larger kiln, gas conduit, conveying equipment, larger carbonation tanks, or the like. Whether spent lime is disposed of in ponds, landfills; or by recalcining, the greater the amount of lime utilized in a particular process system, generally the greater the expense of disposing the spent lime

Another significant problem related to the conventional use of lime in sugar processing systems may be an incremental decrease in process system throughput corresponding with an incremental increase in the amount of lime used in processing sugar beet juice. One aspect of this problem may be that there is a limit to the amount of or rate at which lime can be produced or provided to sugar beet juice process steps. As discussed above, limestone must be calcined to produce calcium oxide prior to its use as a base in juice process systems. The amount of lime produced may be limited in by availability of limestone, kiln capacity, fuel availability, or the like. The rate at which lime can be made available to the juice process system may vary based on the size, kind, or amount of the lime generation equipment, available labor, or the like. Another aspect of this problem can be that the amount of lime used in the process system may proportionately reduce volume available for sugar beet juice in the process system. Increased use of base, such as lime, may also require the use of larger containment areas, conduits, or the like to maintain throughput of the same volume of juice.

In view of these various problems and the significant costs involved with the preparation and use of lime, an alternative method of increasing pH of sugar beet juice which does not require the use of lime, or a reduced amount of lime, or other type of base may be desirable.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be acids which attend sugar beet juice released from sugar beet root during diffusion. Organic acids act as a buffering system in the acid-base equilibrium of the plant cell, in order to maintain the required pH value in the sugar beet plant tissue. The origin of these acids can be divided into two groups, the first, are acids taken up by the plant from the soil in the course of the growing cycle, and the second, are acids formed by biochemical or formed by microbial processes. When the uptake of acids from the soil is insufficient, plants may synthesize organic acids, primarily oxalic acid, citric acid, or malic acid, to maintain a healthy pH within the sugar beet plant cell. As such, sugar beet juice extracted from sugar beet root will contain a certain amount of various organic acids. In addition to this naturally occurring amount of organic acids within the plant tissue, acids may be formed during storage primarily by microbial processes. Badly deteriorating sugar beets may generate large amounts of organic acids, primarily lactic acid, acetic acid, as well as citric acid. The total acid content within sugar beet plant tissue can increase threefold, or more, under certain circumstances.

Moreover, carbon dioxide (CO₂) can be generated in sugar beet plant tissues due to breakdown of the natural alkalinity in the juice. In this process, bicarbonate ion and carbonate ion are converted to carbon dioxide. The resulting carbon dioxide to the extent it remains in the sugar beet juice generates carbonic acid. Organic acids contained within the sugar beet plant cells, in whole or in part, remain with sugar beet juice obtained from the sugar beet plant material. As such, to increase the pH of the sugar beet juice, these organic and inorganic acids must be neutralized with base. The higher the concentration of organic acids or inorganic acids within the sugar beet juice, the greater the amount of base required to increase pH to a desired value.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that sugar beets or sugar beet juice treated with antimicrobial chemicals can have higher acid content then untreated sugar beets or sugar beet juice. For example, sulfur dioxide (SO₂) or ammonium bisulfite (NH₄HSO₃) can be added continuously or intermittently to help control microbial growth or infection. The amount of SO added depends on the severity of the microbial growth or infection. Lactic acid and nitrite levels can be monitored or tracked to determine severity of growth or infection. Up to about 1000 ppm of SO? can be used to shock or treat an infected process system. Up to 400-500 ppm can be fed to an infected process system continuously to control an infection. The SO or NrL|.HSO₃ used for antimicrobial protection can reduce pH and alkalinity of sugar beet juice.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be the formation of scale in containment vessels, such as, evaporators or sugar crystallization equipment. The calcium salt of oxalic acid often forms the main component of scale. Oxalate has low solubility in solution and that solubility can be further reduced as the amount of calcium in solution increases. Even after sugar beet juice purification to "thin" or "thick" juices there can be sufficient calcium in solution to force oxalate out of solution. The process of removing scale from the surfaces of equipment can be expensive, including, but not limited to, costs due to production slowdowns and efficiency losses, or the reduction in the effective life of equipment.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems has been the lack of recognition that diffusion of sugar beets to obtain sugar beet juice can significantly alter or reduce pH of the extracted juice. Importantly, different diffusers or different methods of diffusion differentially alter pH of sugar beet juice. Interestingly, improvements in diffusion technology have generally resulted in increasingly reduced pH values of diffusion sugar beet juice. To the extent that improvements in diffusion technology have resulted in reduced pH of diffusion sugar beet juice, these diffusers along with the corresponding methods of diffusion teach away from the solutions provided by the instant invention.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that materials contained in sugar beet juice, added to sugar beet juice during diffusion, or added during subsequent processing steps, may not be allowed to move toward equilibrium, or to the extent possible equilibrate with atmosphere, or other selected mixture of gases, or selected partial pressures of gases prior to pre-liming, or other subsequent process steps. As such, materials contained within sugar beet juice, otherwise transferable to atmosphere, or to other selected mixtures of gases, or selected partial pressures of gases remain in the sugar beet juice to, directly or indirectly, adjust or decrease pH of sugar beet juice.

One aspect of this problem with respect to conventional diffusion of sugar beet cossettes may be that diffusers do not provide, or provide an inadequate, gas-sugar beet juice interface from which materials in sugar beet juice can move toward equilibrium with atmosphere. The provision of an inadequate gas-sugar beet juice interface can be exacerbated with the use of conventional tower diffusers where only a limited interface between diffusion liquids and atmosphere may occur at the top of the diffusion tower. As such, materials contained in the sugar beet diffusion juice, such as carbonic acid, which can have sufficient vapor pressure to transfer from the sugar beet juice to atmosphere remain trapped within the sugar beet juice. Similarly, with respect to slope diffusion equipment the gas-sugar beet juice interface can be insufficient to allow transferable materials to equilibrate with atmosphere. A second aspect of this problem may be that conventional sugar beet diffusers or diffusion methods do not provide sufficient re-circulation of atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases, at the gas-sugar beet juice interface to prevent saturation of gas responsive to the gas-sugar beet juice interface. Because gas saturated with transferable material does not allow transfer of additional material from the sugar beet juice, the desired, potential, or possible reduction of material from the sugar beet juice cannot be achieved.

A third aspect of this problem may be that conventional sugar beet diffusers or diffusion methods do not re-circulate the entire volume, or a sufficient volume, of the sugar beet juice to be present transferable material at the gas-sugar beet juice interface. If materials having sufficient energy to transfer from sugar beet juice are not brought to the gas-sugar beet juice interface transfer of the material cannot occur and the desired, potential, or possible reduction of material from the sugar beet juice cannot be achieved.

A fourth aspect of this problem may be that conventional sugar beet diffusers or methods of diffusion do not sufficiently heat sugar beet juice to a temperature that sufficiently increases vapor pressure(s) of material(s), or sufficiently reduces the solubility of material(s) in sugar beet juice, to result in a transfer such materials from the sugar beet juice; or to shift the point of equilibrium between such transferable material(s) and gas adjoining the gas-sugar beet juice interface to result in transfer of such materials, or reduce the amount of such material(s) in the sugar beet juice to the necessary, desired, potential, or possible concentration.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that sugar beet juice may be allowed to cool and re-equilibrate, or partially re-equilibrate, with atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases. As sugar beet juice cools the solubility to atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or partial pressures of gases, can increase. As such, the concentration of gases, materials in equilibrium with such gases, or other materials in the sugar beet juice, may increase as the sugar beet juice is allowed to cool during conventional processing steps.

As but a single example, solubility of atmospheric CO₂ increases as sugar beet diffusion juice cools from a temperature within the range of about 55°C to about 70°C to a temperature within the range of about 20°C to 30°C prior to sugar beet juice pre-liming or liming steps. Exposure to atmospheric partial pressures of CO_2ι or any mixture of gases having sufficient partial pressure of CO₂ to allow transfer of CO₂ to the sugar beet diffusion juice as it cools, increases the concentration of CO in the diffusion juice relative to that amount present at higher temperatures. The increased concentration of CO₂ in the sugar beet diffusion juice forms carbonic acid reducing the pH of the juice. As such, the increased concentration of CO_2ι or other gases or materials transferred to the sugar beet diffusion juice, may require additional amounts of lime or other base during pre-liming or other liming steps to achieve a desired or necessary pH.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases, presented at tlie gas- sugar beet juice interface may not volatilize, move, remove or otherwise allow transfer of a necessaiy or desired portion of material(s) in the sugar beet juice, sugar beet diffusion juice, or other process liquid, to substantially increase pH of the sugar beet juice, or reduce the concentration of pH reducing materials in the sugar beet juice.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases, presented at the gas- sugar beet juice interface may not allow transfer of a necessaiy, or desired portion, of material in the sugar beet juice to substantially reduce, or prevent, color formation.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases, presented at the gas- sugar beet juice interface may not allow transfer of a necessary, or desired portion, of material in the sugar beet juice to substantially reduce generation of foam.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases, presented at the gas- sugar beet juice interface may not allow transfer of a necessary, or desired portion, of material in the sugar beet juice to substantially increase the rate of floe formation, size, density, or settling rate, during pre-liming, liming, or carbonation steps.

Another significant problem with conventional sugar processing systems may be that atmosphere, or other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases, presented at the gas- sugar beet juice interface may not allow transfer of a necessary, or desired portion of material in sugar beet juice, including, but not limited to, volatile organic compounds; volatile inorganic compounds; volatile acids; volatile bases; a gas; acetaldehyde; ethanol; acetone; ammonia, dimethylsulfide; 2-propenenitrile; methyl acetate; isopropanal; 2-methyl propanal; methacrolein; 2-methyl-2-propanol; propanenitiile; 1-propanol; 2-butanone; 2,3-butanedion; ethyl acetate; 2 butanol; methyl propanoate; 2- butanal; 3-methylbutanal; 3-methyl-2-butanone; isopropal acetate; 2-methyl butanal; 1-butanol, 2-butenenitrile; 2-pentanone; 2,3-pentanedione; ethyl propanoate; propyl acetate; 3-methyl butanentrile; methyl isobutyl ketone; 2-methyl-2-butenal; 3 methyl- 1-butanol; isopropyl propanoate; isobutyl acetate; 2-methyl-3-pentanol; 2,3- hexanedione; 2-hexanone; an ethyl butanoate; butyl acetate; 4-methyl pentanenitrile; 2-hexenal; 3 -methyl- 1-butanol acetate; 3-heptanone; 2-heptanone; 5-hepten-2-one; heptanal; 3-octene-2- one; 2-heptenal; 3-octanone; butyl butanoate; 2-methoxy-3 -isopropyl pyrazine; 2-methoxy-3-(l- methylpropyl)pyrazine; alcohol; aldehyde; ketone; volatile acid; carbon monoxide; carbon dioxide; sulfur dioxide; lactic acid; D-lactic acid; L-lactic acid; aldehyde; alcohol; ketone; ester; nitrile; sulfide; pyrazine; acetic acid; carbonic acid; propanonic acid; butanoic acid; pentanoic acid; phosphoric acid; hydrochloric acid; sulfuric acid; sulfurous acid; citric acid; oxalic acid; succinic acid; fumaric acid; glycolic acid; pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid; formic acid; butyric acid; maleic acid; 3-methylbutanoic; 5-methylhexanoic; hexanoic acid; heptanoic acid, or other compounds having similar boiling points, vapor pressures, or transfer characteristics.

The present invention provides a sugar beet juice process system involving both apparatuses and methods that address each of the above-mentioned problems.

III. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention provides a system for the production of sugar from sugar beets as an alternative to conventional sugar beet process systems.

Another significant object of the invention can be to provide sugar beet process equipment and methods compatible with conventional sugar beet process systems. As to this object of the invention, devices or method steps of the invention can replace conventional sugar beet process devices or method steps; be added to conventional sugar beet process devices or method steps; or be used to modify conventional sugar beet process devices or method steps. Another significant object of the invention can to reduce the cost of generating sugar, or by products, from sugar beets, sugar beet juice, or other sugar beet process liquids by increasing sugar beet process rate. Sugar beet process rate can be increased by use of the invention in the event that sugar beet process rate is limited due to shortage of limestone; the lack of capacity to convert limestone to calcium oxide; lack of capacity to recalcine spent calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide; sedimentation rate of floe generated during pre-liming or other liming steps; generation of color in sugar beet process liquids; generation of foam; sugar beet juice pH; or the concentration or amount of gas, inorganic compounds, or organic compounds in the sugar beet juice.

Another significant object of the invention can be to reduce the cost of generating sugar or byproducts from sugar beets, sugar beet juice, or other sugar beet process liquids. Cost per unit of sugar or sugar byproducts can be reduced by use of the invention by reducing the amount of base, such as lime, calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide used per unit of sugar produced; reducing the amount of antifoam used per unit of sugar produced; reducing scale deposited on processing equipment; reducing amount of labor utilized; reducing the amount of equipment utilized; or reducing the amount of waste generated.

Another significant object of the invention can be to increase the amount of sugar produced per ton of sugar beets processed. Amount of sugar per ton of sugar beets processed can be increased by use of the invention because sugar beets can spend a reduced duration of time in piles thereby reducing consumption of sucrose by bacteria; a reduced amount of sucrose may be carried into byproducts, such as molasses; a reduced amount invert sugars may be generated; a reduced amount of sucrose may be entrained with floes generated during pre- liming, liming, or carbonation steps; a reduced amount of material can be present in sugar beet juice during pre-liming, liming, or carbonation steps; or a reduced amount of sugar may be reprocessed.

Another significant object of the invention can be to produce treated sugar beet juice in accordance with the invention. Treated sugar beet juice, sugar beet diffusion juice, or other sugar beet process liquids, can have reduced amounts or reduced concentrations of material(s), such as those set out above; have higher pH without out addition of base; have a higher pH even when an amount of base has been added prior to treatment; have a reduced capacity to generate hydronium ion; require reduced amount of base or a reduced duration of time to increase pH a desired increment, to reach the iso-electric point of solubilized material(s), to perform preliming, main liming, or liming steps; have a reduced capacity to generate invert sugars; have reduced foam; have reduced color or contain reduced amounts of color generating material(s) compared to the same sugar beet juice which has not been treated in accordance with the invention.

Another significant object of the invention can be to provide apparatus and methods to reduce the amount or concentration of material in sugar beet diffusion juice. One aspect of this object of the invention can be to provide apparatuses or methods for reduction of the amount or concentration of material in sugar beet diffusion juice without the addition of base. A second aspect of this object of the invention can be to provide apparatuses or methods that can be used prior to, in conjunction with, or after, the addition of base to sugar beet diffusion juice to reduce the amount or concentration of material in sugar beet diffusion juice. A third aspect of this object can be to provide apparatuses or methods that assist in reducing the amount or concentration of materials in sugar beet diffusion juice. A fourth aspect of this object can be to provide apparatuses or methods for reduction of material in sugar beet diffusion juice compatible with conventional juice clarification or purification methods, including but not limited to, preliming, main liming, carbonation, ion exchange, filtering, or the like.

Another significant object of the invention can be to provide apparatuses and methods to increase the area of the gas-sugar beet juice interface to increase transfer of materials in sugar beet juice, sugar beet diffusion juice, or other sugar beet process liquids to atmosphere, other mixtures of gases, or partial pressures of gases.

Another significant object of the invention can be to provide apparatuses and methods for separation or removal of atmosphere, other mixtures of gases, or partial pressures of gases having come to partial or complete equilibrium with the vapor pressure of material(s) within sugar beet juice, sugar beet diffusion juice, or other sugar beet process liquids.

Another significant object of the invention can be to provide apparatuses and methods for increasing tlie volume or amount of sugar beet juice, sugar beet diffusion juice, or other sugar beet process liquids that can transfer materials to atmosphere, other mixture of gases, or other partial pressures of gases at the gas-sugar beet juice interface to achieve the necessary or desired reduction of materials; increase in pH; reduction in color or color generating materials; sedimentation rate, size, or density of floes; or reduction in foam. Another significant object of the invention can be to generate, establish, or maintain sugar beet juice, sugar beet diffusion juice, or other sugar beet process liquids, at a temperature(s), or at temperature(s) adjusted (either manually or automatically) in response to or with respect to: an elapse of time; a concentration of any particular material(s) contained within the sugar beet juice; a specific process(es) or step(s) to purify or otherwise process such sugar beet juice; a method of extracting, removing, or diffusing such materials from sugar beet root; or any mamier of preparation or storage of such sugar beet juice; establishing a range or specific value(s) of solubility to materials within such sugar beet juice; or to control the amount or concentration of material(s) that reduce, whether directly or indirectly, pH of such sugar beet juice.

Another broad object of the invention can be to provide apparatuses and methods of treating sugar beet juice, diffusion juice, or sugar beet process liquids to establish, maintain, control, or adjust the mixture of gases, or the partial pressures of gases that are presented at the gas-sugar beet juice interface prior to the initial addition of lime or subsequent additions of lime.

Naturally, further objects of the invention are disclosed throughout other areas of the specification and drawings.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows locations at which embodiments of the invention can be implemented to reduce the amount of material in sugar beet juice.

Figure 2 shows a particular embodiment of the invention to produce sugar beet juice containing a reduced amount of material.

Figure 3 shows a particular embodiment of the invention to produce a mixture of gas and sugar beet juice.

Figure 4 shows a particular embodiment of the invention to separate gas from a mixture of gas and sugar beet juice. Figure 5 shows a cross section A-A of particular embodiment of the invention which provides a sugar beet juice aeration system, a first sugar beet juice evacuation system, and a second sugar beet juice evacuation system utilized in combination.

Figure 6 shows a top view of a particular embodiment of the invention indicating cross section A-A.

Figure 7 shows a particular embodiment of the invention which includes gas filters and gas scrubbers.

Figure 8 shows a particular embodiment of the sugar beet process system invention.

Figure 9 shows a particular embodiment of the sugar beet process system invention.

Figure 10 shows a particular embodiment of the sugar beet process system invention.

V. MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Now referring to Figure 1, an embodiment of the invention to produce sugar from sugar beets comprises pieces of sugar beet root or sugar beet cossettes (l)(hereinafter referred to as "sugar beet cossettes") which can be introduced into a cossette mixer (2) with a conveyor belt or other conveyance means. The sugar beet cossettes are initially mixed with sugar beet diffusion juice (3) in the cossette mixer (2) to remove some sugar beet juice from the sugar beet cossettes (1). The sugar beet cossettes (1) along with a portion of the sugar beet diffusion juice are subsequently transferred by a pump (4), or other transfer means, with a portion of tlie diffusion juice to a diffuser (5) such as a tower diffuser, slope diffuser, or other type of sugar beet juice removal means (hereinafter "diffuser") to remove substantially all the sugar beet juice from the sugar beet cossettes (1). With respect to certain embodiments of the invention, the sugar beet cossettes (1) can be entrained in a liquid, such as water or sugar beet diffusion juice, and introduced directly into the diffuser (5), eliminating use of the cossette mixer (2).

In the diffuser (5), the sugar beet cosettes are treated with a diffusion liquid (6) (typically at a temperature of between 50°C and 80°C) which can be heated water, or heated water mixed with pulp press liquids or other process liquids (hereinafter "diffusion liquid"), typically in counter-current flow, to remove sugar beet juice (which as previously described contains sucrose along with a variety of other soluble and non-soluble materials) from the sugar beet cossettes (2) to the diffusion liquid (6). The diffusion liquid (6) containing sugar beet juice diffused from the sugar beet cossettes (2), often referred to as diffusion juice, can be collected and transferred by pump (7), gravity, or other transfer means to the cossette mixer (2) and subsequently to a pre-limer tank (8) in a single or in multiple effluent streams (9)(10). Again, in certain embodiments of the invention in which no cossette mixer (2) is utilized, the diffusion juice can be transferred directly to the pre-limer tank (8).

Importantly, it has not been known until the instant invention that diffusion, or other conventional means of removing sugar beet juice from sugar beet cossettes, can result in retention of various materials in the sugar beet juice which can adversely effect, make more costly, or reduce throughput in subsequent sugar beet juice purification or process steps reduce.

The various embodiments of the invention remove all or a portion of various materials from sugar beet juice, including, but not limited to, volatile organic compounds; volatile inorganic compounds; volatile acids; volatile bases; dissolved gas; acetaldehyde; ethanol; acetone; ammonia, dimethylsulfide; 2-propenenitrile; methyl acetate; isopropanal; 2-methyl propanal; methacrolein; 2-methyl-2-propanol; propanenitrile; 1-propanol; 2-butanone; 2,3- butanedion; ethyl acetate; 2 butanol; methyl propanoate; 2- butanal; 3-methylbutanal; 3-methyl- 2-butanone; isopropal acetate; 2-methyl butanal; 1-butanol, 2-butenenitrile; 2-pentanone; 2,3- pentanedione; ethyl propanoate; propyl acetate; 3-methyl butanentrile; methyl isobutyl ketone; 2-methyl-2-butenal; 3 methyl- 1-butanol; isopropyl propanoate; isobutyl acetate; 2-methyl-3- pentanol; 2,3-hexanedione; 2-hexanone; an ethyl butanoate; butyl acetate; 4-methyl pentanenitrile; 2-hexenal; 3 -methyl- 1-butanol acetate; 3-heptanone; 2-heptanone; 5-hepten-2- one; heptanal; 3-octene-2-one; 2-heptenal; 3-octanone; butyl butanoate; 2-methoxy-3 -isopropyl pyrazine; 2-methoxy-3-(l-methylpropyl)pyrazine; alcohol; aldehyde; ketone; volatile acid; carbon monoxide; carbon dioxide; sulfur dioxide; lactic acid; D-lactic acid; L-lactic acid; aldehyde; alcohol; ketone; ester; nitrile; sulfide; pyrazine; acetic acid; carbonic acid; propanonic acid; butanoic acid; pentanoic acid; phosphoric acid; hydrochloric acid; sulfuric acid; sulfurous acid; citric acid; oxalic acid; succinic acid; fumaric acid; glycolic acid; pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid; formic acid; butyric acid; maleic acid; 3-methylbutanoic; 5-methylhexanoic; hexanoic acid; heptanoic acid, or other compounds having similar boiling points, vapor pressures, or transfer characteristics (hereinafter referred to as "material" or "materials").

Apparatus and methods utilized in accordance with the invention can be implemented at various points in the sugar beet juice process system. With respect to certain embodiments of the invention (11), conventional diffuser apparatus may be converted to implement tlie invention. With respect to other embodiments of the invention, pulp press liquids (12) generated by a pulp press (13) can be treated and returned to the diffuser (5), or sugar beet juice can be treated between the diffuser (5) and the cossette mixer (2). Aternately, certain embodiments of the invention can also be used to treat sugar beet juice at any point prior to entering the pre-limer (8).

With respect certain embodiments of the invention, one or more heaters (T)(14)(15) can be utilized to establish or maintain temperature of sugar beet juice at a temperature within the range of about 60°C to about 80°C or establish or maintain a particular temperature within the temperature range of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 7PC, about 72°C, about 73°C, about 74°C, about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, or other temperature as desired.

As sugar beet juice heats the solubility of certain materials in sugar beet juice decrease facilitating removal or transfer of material(s) from the sugar beet juice with the invention. As such, the temperature of the sugar beet juice can be adjusted by use of heaters (14)(15) to increase tlie amount or rate of transfer of these materials in general or to increase the amount of rate of selected material(s) from the sugar beet juice to atmosphere, a mixture of gases, or partial pressure of gases, or any gas at the gas-sugar beet juice interface (hereinafter collectively "gas"). With respect to certain embodiments of the invention (11) temperature of sugar beet juice can be adjusted to initiate or increase transfer of material(s) from sugar beet juice to atmosphere, a mixture of gases, or partial pressures of gases even when the material(s) could not be transferred, or could not be further transferred otherwise.

A general discussion of gas absorption provided by Chemical Engineer's Handbook, Perry, ed., McGraw-Hill Book Company, pg. 668 et seq. (1950) is hereby incorporated by reference to the extent necessary for an understanding of the general principals of gas absorption of materials.

As such, there are numerous embodiments of the invention which manifest a variety of configurations for use with various types of diffusers, diffusion technology, or other technologies for obtaining sugar beet juice from sugar beet cossettes, certain exemplary locations at which embodiments of the invention (11) can be implemented are shown by shown by Figure 1. Figures 1 through 8 along with the description below provide a sufficient number of illustrative examples of the invention (11) so that a person of ordinary skill in the art can make and use the invention. These illustrative examples are not to be considered limiting with respect to the wide variety of alternate embodiments not shown.

Again referring primarily to Figure 1, certain embodiments of the invention comprise a controlled exchange rate of atmospheric gases, a mixture of gases, or partial pressures of gases within the diffuser (5) that provides for additional transfer of materials from diffused sugar beet juice to diffusion liquids (6) within the diffuser (5). In some embodiments of the invention, the diffuser (5) may be modified to increase the area of the gas-sugar beet juice interface to allow increased exchange of atmospheric partial pressures at the surface of the sugar beet juice in the diffuser (5). In other embodiments of the invention a gas flow generator (16) can be installed where the configuration of the diffuser can be modified to increase exchange of atmospheric gases, mixtures of gases, or partial pressures of gases over the gas-sugar beet juice interface. Increased gas flow (17) from the diffuser (5) may be balanced with the gas introduced to establish a gas flow within the diffuser (5). Assessment element(s)(18) can monitor transfer of material from the sugar beet juice to the gas flow (17) and can provide information about the transfer of materials from the sugar beet juice to gas presented at the gas-sugar beet juice interface.

Now referring primarily to Figures 2 through 5, an embodiment of the invention (11) can comprise a pump (19) or other sugar beet juice transfer means that achieves adequate pressure (between about 20 pounds per square inch and about 25 pounds per square inch) at an injection port (20) of an gas injector (21). Gas (22) can be injected into the sugar beet juice (23) at the injection port (20) to produce a mixed flow of sugar beet juice and gas (24). Gas (22) can be injected into the sugar beet juice (23) with a sufficient volume, at a sufficient pressure, or with a pattern of distribution (e.g. diffused or as small bubbles) to generate the desired area of the gas- sugar beet juice interface. Multiple gas injectors (21) can be used in series or in parallel, and each gas injector (21) can have multiple gas injection ports (20) at substantially the same location or different locations in a series or in parallel.

The invention can further provide a injection pressure adjustment means (25) to which the gas flow generator (26) can be responsive to increase or decrease the pressure or volume of gas (22) injected, mixed, or sparged into the sugar beet juice (23). In some embodiments of the invention, the injection pressure adjustment means (25) can individually or in combination comprise a variably adjustable restriction means located between the gas flow generator (26) and the injection port (20). The variably adjustable amount of gas (22) can be made responsive to the volume of sugar beet juice (23), the residence time of the sugar beet juice (23) with the gas (22) in a mixed flow (24), the concentration or amount of transferred materials in the sugar beet juice (23), or other parameters.

As described above, the sugar beet juice may be heated to between about 50°C to about

80°C to decrease solubility of material(s) in the sugar beet juice to facilitate transfer of the material from the sugar beet juice (23) to the gas (22) in the mixed steam (24).

With respect to certain embodiments of the invention, total dissolved gases within the sugar beet juice (23) can greater than the initial concentration in the sugar beet juice (23), and in some instances as much as up to about ten times the concentration that would be obtained by saturating the sugar beet juice at atmospheric pressure. The pressure of gas (23) injected into the sugar beet juice (23) can be established between the initial pressure exerted by the sugar beet juice (23) at the injection port (20) upward to a pressure of about 20 bars.

With respect to other embodiments of the invention, gas (23) can be injected into the sugar beet juice (23) prior to a pump (27), whereby the pump (27) can act to distribute the gas (22) within the flow of sugar beet juice (23) to generate the mixed flow (24) and increased gas- sugar beet juice interface. As to certain types of pumps, the mixed flow (24) can comprise at least 35% mixture of gases with substantially 100% saturation of the sugar beet juice (23) with gas (22). As but one example, a Shanley Pump, can be used to generate the mixed flow (24) of sugar beet juice (23) and gas (22). A plurality of pumps (27) can be run in series or parallel as required to process a certain volume of sugar beet juice (23) within the desired duration of time. With respect to other embodiments of the invention, a flow of sugar beet juice (23) within a conduit (28) can be configured to generate a venturi effect, or otherwise develop a reduced pressure responsive to the injection port (20) to draw gas (22) into the flow of sugar beet juice (23), whether the flow of sugar beet juice (23) comprises a pulstile, continuous, or intermittent flow.

Now referring primarily to Figures 2 and 4, the mixed flow (24) of sugar beet juice (23) and gas (22) can be transferred to a gas separator (29). The gas separator (29) allows gas (22) injected into the sugar beet juice (23) to separate from the flow of sugar beet juice (23) to atmosphere. In certain embodiments of the invention, the gas separator (29) can be a portion of the sugar beet transfer conduit coupled to atmosphere. The conduit may be configured to present an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface to gas, or may flow the sugar beet juice (23) through screens or other sugar beet juice dispersal means to present an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface to atmosphere.

As shown in Figure 4, certain embodiments of the invention provide a centrifugal gas separator (29). Centrifugal forces applied to the mixed flow (24) of sugar beet juice (23) and gas (22) spread the mixed flow (24) of sugar beet juice (23) and gas (22) over the inside surface of a cylindrical container with centrifugal forces reaching upward of about four times gravity. Spreading the mixed flow (24) of sugar beet juice (23) and gas (22) over the inside surface of a cylindrical container both increases the gas-sugar beet juice interface to increase transfer rate of gas (22) and materials from the sugar beet juice (23) to gas within the gas separator (29) and maintains a column of gas (30) at the center of the cylinder for egress of gases (31) to atmosphere. Assessment element(s)(32) can monitor transfer of material from the sugar beet juice (23) to the column of gas (30) and can provide information about transfer of materials from the sugar beet juice (23) to gas (22) presented at the gas-sugar beet juice interface.

Now referring primarily to Figures 2, 5 and 6, another embodiment of the invention provides a sugar beet aeration element which can include a containment element (33) having a sugar beet juice inlet element (34) tlirough which sugar beet juice flows into the containment element (33) and a sugar beet juice outlet element (35) through which sugar beet juice (23) flows from the containment element (33). The containment element (33) further includes a gas inlet (36) through which gas flows into the containment element (33) and a gas outlet (37) through which gas (22) flows from the containment element(33). The containment element (33) of certain embodiments of the invention which can treat a flow of sugar beet juice (23) between about 500 gallons per minute and about 1000 gallons per minute can have four sides of substantially equal width of about three feet to about 5 feet with a height of each side being about 10 feet to about 15 feet. Of course the containment element could be configured as a cylinder or other geometry, if desired, and scaled up or scaled down as desired.

A sugar beet juice flow generator (38), such as a pump, generates a flow of sugar beet juice (23) within the containment element (33) between the sugar beet juice inlet (34) and the sugar beet juice outlet (35). The flow of sugar beet juice from the sugar beet juice inlet (34) can be dispersed (39) to alter the surface area of the sugar beet juice (23) in a manner that generates an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface. The liquid dispersal element (40) can disperse the sugar beet juice into smaller discrete volumes such as smaller streams, a spray, or droplets. Droplets of sugar beet juice can have a range of diameter selected from the group of between about 1 millimeter and about 2 millimeters, between about 1.5 millimeters and about 2 millimeters, between about 2 millimeters and about 3 millimeters, between about 2.5 millimeters and 3.5 millimeters, and between about 3.0 millimeters and about 4.0 millimeters. As a non- limiting example, a BEX PSQ full square spray nozzle or a BEX PSWSQ wide angle full square spray nozzle can generate droplets of sugar beet juice within this range of diameters.

A gas flow generator (41) generates a flow of gas (22) within the containment element between the gas inlet (36) and the gas outlet (37). The gas inlet (36) which can disperse gas through a single inlet opening or through a single gas manifold (42) or a plurality of gas manifolds located at various heights within the containment element (33). The gas manifold (42) can take various configurations to generate a flow of gas through substantially the entire flow of sugar beet juice (23) or dispersal pattern (39) of sugar beet juice (23) within the containment element (33). In certain embodiments of the invention the flow of sugar beet juice (23) and the flow of gas (22) can be counter current within the containment element (33).

The gas flow generator (41) maintains a flow of gas (22) having gas flow characteristics (gas mixture, gas partial pressures, gas volume, gas residence time, gas velocity, or the like) which allows transfer of an amount of material from the sugar beet juice (23) to the gas (22) as each flows within the containment element (33). Material transferred to the gas (22) flows from the containment element (33) tlirough the gas outlet(s) to atmosphere (37), or to a desired location, or can be discharged to a desired process, or into a desired process step.

As a non-limiting example, sugar beet juice flow of about 60 to about 110 cubic foot per minute (about 500 gallons to about 1000 gallons per minute) at about 50°C can be dispersed as droplets into gas flow of about 45 to 85 cubic foot per minute to transfer materials such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, sulfur dioxide, phosphoric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, citric acid; and acetaldehyde, ethanol, acetone, ammonia, dimethlysulfide, methyl acetate, 2-methyl propanal, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanone, ethyl acetate, 2-methyl- 1-propanol, 3-methyl butanal, and 2-methyl butanal, as shown below by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of condensate from gas flowing from the gas outlet(s)(37).

[

With respect to embodiments of the invention as shown in Figures 5 and 6, gas flow (22) in cubic feet of about two to four times the cubic feet of sugar beet juice (23) dispersed (39) within the containment element (33) has been used to reduce the amount material in sugar beet juice. Depending upon the amount of sugar beet juice (23) dispersed (39) within the containment element (33) and the gas flow (22) generated, the configuration of the containment element (33) can be sized accordingly, or multiple containment elements (33) can be used in series or in parallel to treat sugar beet juice generated by a conventional sugar beet process facility (typically between 1000 to 5000 gallons of diffusion juice per minute).

Certain embodiments of the invention can further include an oxidant (43) mcluding, but not limited to, oxygen, ozone, peroxide, air stripped of certain partial pressures of gases, an oxidant capable of converting primary alcohols to corresponding aldehydes or carboxylic acids. An oxidant flow generator (44) can be used to disperse oxidant(s)(43) into the sugar beet juice

(23) dispersed (39) into the containment element (33).

As discussed above, a heater(s)(14)(15) can establish or maintain sugar beet juice (23) at a temperature within the range of 60°C and 80°C when dispersed (39) within the containment element (33) into the gas (22) having gas characteristics which allow transfer of material from the sugar beet juice (23) to the gas (22). As to different embodiments of the invention, sugar beet juice (23) can be established at or maintained at a temperature which allows transfer, or increasez transfer rate, of material from sugar beet juice (23) to the gas selected from the group consisting of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C, about 74°C, about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, and about 80°C.

Certain embodiments of the invention can further include baffles (45) to further increase surface area of the gas-sugar beet juice interface which can further allow transfer, or increase transfer rate, of material from sugar beet juice (23) to the gas (22).

Now referring primarily to Figures 2, 5, and 6, treatment of sugar beet juice (23) as described above can occur in a containment element (33) as shown in Figures 2, 5, or 6 after which sugar beet juice (23) may be transferred from the sugar beet juice outlet (35) directly to the pre-limer (8), to a second sugar beet juice aeration apparatus to repeat the process described above, or to a sugar beet juice evacuation apparatus. In certain embodiments of the invention, the sugar beet juice from the diffuser (5) can flow directly to the sugar beet juice evacuation apparatus without treatment by generating a mixed stream (24) of sugar beet juice (23) and gas (22) or by treatment within the sugar beet juice aeration apparatus. In an evacuation contaimnent element (46), a flow of sugar beet juice (23) can be established, and if desired or necessaiy, be dispersed (47) into smaller streams, sprays, or droplets by a sugar beet juice dispersal element (48), as described above. A pressure reduction generator (50) can reduce the pressure of gas (22) within evacuation containment element (46) which allows boiling, reduces the boiling point, or increases the vapor pressure, of transferable material(s) within the sugar beet juice (23). The pressure reduction generator (50) can comprise a vacuum pump, but could as one of several alternatives be a pump (51) which re-circulates liquid from a liquid holding tank (52) through a venturi (53), as shown in Figure 2.

The reduced pressure of gas (22) within the evacuation containment element (46) can be varied or adjusted in response to amount, type, or kind of material in the sugar beet juice (23), the flow rate of sugar beet juice within the evacuation containment element (46), the temperature of the sugar beet juice, or the like. Certain embodiments of the invention can further include a second pressure reduction generator to assist in reducing pressure or maintaining pressure within the evacuation containment element (46) to allow transfer of material from the sugar beet juice (23) to the reduced pressure gas (22) in the evacuation containment element (46).

The evacuation containment element (46) as shown in Figure 5 can comprise a closed cylinder which can be configured to treat a portion, or the entire flow, of sugar beet juice (23) of a convention sugar beet process facility. An embodiment of the evacuation containment element (46) invention can be configured to treat between 500 gallons and 1000 gallons of sugar beet juice (23) per minute can have a diameter of about five feet to about seven feet with a height of about eight feet to about twelve feet. Naturally, the evacuation containment element (46) could be configured in a variety geometrical configurations if sufficient height is maintained to effect transfer of materials from the sugar beet juice (23) from the location within the evacuation containment element (23) at which sugar beet juice is dispersed to the location at which sugar beet juice flows from the evacuation containment element (46). The interior surfaces of the evacuation containment element (46) can be configured to spread dispersed juice over an increased surface area. One non-limiting example as shown in Figure 5 includes baffles (49) to increase area of the gas-sugar beet juice interface.

Further embodiments of the invention can comprise a second evacuation containment element (51) in which a reduced pressure can be established and maintained as described above. Sugar beet juice (23) can be transferred from the evacuation containment element (46) through outlet (52) and dispersed into the second evacuation containment element (51) through a juice dispersal element (53). Alternately, sugar beet juice (23) exiting the evacuation containment element 46) can be transferred directly to the pre-limer (8), filtration process steps, chromatography process steps, other purification or clarification steps, as desired.

Now referring primarily to Figure 2, the invention can further comprise a vent system (54) from the sugar beet aeration containment element (33), sugar beet evacuation containment element (46)(51), or other system components, to transfer overflow process liquid or process liquid foam to a vent collection container (55). Anti-foam agent can be added through an anti- foam agent dispersion element (56), if desired. The process liquid collected in the vent collection container (55) can then be transferred to the pre-limer (8) of a convention sugar process systems, or other process steps as described above. With respect to certain embodiments of the invention, only a portion of the sugar beet juice (23) may treated in accordance with the invention. For example, if sugar beet juice (23) contains a reduced amount of material, then the flow of sugar beet juice (23) can be split and only a portion of the sugar beet juice (23) treated. The treated and untreated streams of sugar beet juice (23) can then later be recombined in the proportions desired.

Now referring primarily to Figure 7, embodiments of the invention can further comprise one or more pre-filters (57), filters (58), or scrabbers(59) through which gas (23) can be passed to reduce, or to substantially eliminate, non-biological particulate or biological particles (such as bacteria, viruses, pollen, microscopic flora or fauna, or other pathogens); generate a desired mixture of gases, generate a desired partial pressures of gases, to generate purified gas; or various combinations or permutations thereof.

Particular embodiments of the invention can include a filter (60) responsive to gas (23). The filter (60) can be located before, or can be located after, a gas flow generator (38) made fluidicly responsive to gas (23). The gas filter (60) responsive to gas (23) can comprise a Hepa filter, or a Ulpa filter, or other type of macro-particulate or micro-particulate filter. Pre-filters (61) may further added to capture particles in gas (23) prior to gas passing through the filter (60), or where the filter (60) has a location after the gas flow generator (38) the pre-filter (61) may be used prior to the gas flow generator (38).

In other embodiments of the invention, gas (23) can be drawn into a pre-filter (61) then through a second pre-filter (60) and then through the gas flow generator (38). The gas (23) can then flow through a third gas filter (62) (Hepa filter, or Ulpa filter, or other type filter). The resulting filtered gas having up to 99.99%) of all particles as small as about 0.3 microns removed when a Hepa filter is used, and up to 99.99% of all particles as small as about 0.12 microns removed when a Ulpa filter is used, can then be made responsive to the gas-interface surface area between the sugar beet juice (23) and the filtered gas (22).

As to other embodiments of the invention, gas (22) or the sugar beet juice (23) can be exposed to an ultraviolet radiation source (63) in order to reduce the number of pathogen particles or bacterial particles. The invention can further include a gas temperature controller (64) for establishing or maintaining a desired temperature of gas (23). The temperature controller (64) can be made responsive to a temperature sensor (65) that detects the temperature of the gas (22) or the sugar beet juice (23) and can generate a signal or cause the temperature controller (65) to adjust the temperature of the gas (22) or the sugar beet juice (23), or both, to a necessary or desired temperature.

It can be appreciated that a variety of conventional conduits, valves, or other devices, for example, pressure gauges, can be provided to generate relevant information concerning the transfer of the sugar beet juice (23) to the gas injector (20), aeration containment element (33), or evacuation containment element (46); the volume, pressure, or partial pressures gases (23) injected, sparged, exchanged or flowed; the amount of material in the sugar beet juice (23), or the like.

When sugar beet juice (23) is treated in accordance with the invention material can be removed from the sugar beet juice. The resulting sugar beet juice product can contain a reduced amount of material; a reduced capacity to generate hydronium ion; a decreased concentration of hydronium ion; an increased pH; a decreased lime demand; a reduced capacity to generate acid; a decreased acidity; or a reduced capacity to generate foam, as compared to the same juice without application of the invention.

As but one non-limiting example, the concentration of carbon dioxide in sugar beet juice can be reduced substantially when treated in accordance with the invention. The pH of the sugar beet juice product resulting from treatment with the invention can have a pH value that is higher by 0.05 pH, 0.1 pH, 0.2 pH, 0.3 pH, 0.4 pH, 0.5 pH, 0.6 pH, 0.7 pH, 0.8 pH, 0.9 pH, 1.0 pH, 1.1 pH, 1.2, pH1.3, pH1.4, pH1.5, pH1.6, pH1.7, ρH1.8, pH1.9, 2.0 pH, or greater, however, any increase in pH value from the initial pH value of the untreated sugar beet juice can result in a substantial monetary savings and can have commercial importance. The actual increase in pH resulting from treatment with the invention to reduce CO can depend upon the quality of sugar beet root from which sugar beet juice was obtained; the type of diffuser, or other process, used to obtain sugar beet juice; the amount of sugar beet juice treated per unit time with the invention, or the embodiment of the invention used to treat the sugar beet juice, among others. As such, increase in pH due to CO₂ can vaiy from application to application of the invention. In any application of the invention to treat sugar beet juice, CO may not be the only material removed, or the most significant material removed, and other material(s) removed from sugar beet juice can also result in an increase in pH of the treated sugar beet juice.

As a second non-limiting example, the amount of base added per unit weight or unit volume of the sugar beet juice treated with the invention to achieve a necessary or desired pH as compared to untreated juice or conventional processed treated juice can be less. Sugar beet juice treated in accordance with the invention can require less base or lime to establish a pH between about 11.0 to about 12.0, or between about 11.5 to about 12.5; other range of pH used to "prelime", "main lime", or "intermediate lime" sugar beet juice; to establish a pH corresponding to the iso-electric point of any particular material in the sugar beet juice; or required to adjust the acidity or alkalinity of the sugar beet juice. A reduction in lime use of up to about 30%> can be achieved by using the various embodiments of the invention as compared to conventional process steps to treat sugar beet juice.

As a third non-limiting example, the duration of time to formation of floe in sugar beet juice treated in accordance with the invention can be reduced during pre-liming. Because the pH of the sugar beet juice treated in accordance with the invention can be higher when introduced into the preliming step, conventional rate of increase of pH or convention pH process profiles, can yield floe in a shorter duration of time. Generating floe in a shorter duration of time during pre-liming may allow increased throughput of sugar beet juice in conventional sugar beet process systems.

As a fourth non-limiting example, floe generated in sugar beet juice treated in accordance with the invention may having an increased sedimentation or settling rate from sugar beet juice. Floes generated in sugar beet juice treated in accordance with the invention may be larger, have greater weight, or have greater density in comparison to floe generated in conventionally processed sugar beet juice.

Now referring primarily to Figure 8, with respect to conventional sugar beet process systems which utilize base, such as lime, calcium oxide, or calcium hydroxide, to increase pH for the purpose of reaching the iso-electric point(s) of material(s) contained in the sugar beet juice (23), or as part of a conventional preliming step (8), either separate from or in conjunction with, further steps such as cold liming (66), main liming (67), or intermediate liming (68), again separate from or in conjunction with, a first carbonation step (69) or a second carbonation step (70) that can result in a precipitate of calcium carbonate (71) to trap at least a portion of the materials contained in sugar beet juice (23) to provide purified juice for filtration (72) and subsequent evaporation of the desired amount of water (73) to produce syrup (74) or for subsequent crystallization (75) of sucrose within the sugar beet juice (23) to produce sugar products (76), the invention can be utilized to produce a sugar beet juice product having reduced material(s) for introduction into one or more, or all of these conventional steps, or conventional steps modified to the extent to necessary to benefit from the characteristics of the sugar beet juice treated in accordance with the invention.

Now referring primarily to Figure 9, with respect to sugar process systems that utilize ion exchange (77) to replace conventional calcium carbonate purification steps in conventional sugar beet process system, as described above, it can be understood from United States Patent Nos. 3,785,863; 4,331,483; or 4,140,541, each hereby incorporated by reference, that base, such as lime can be used to treat sugar beet juice to more readily filter the sugar beet juice prior to ion exchange steps (77); to regenerate ion exchange material to generate the calcium form so that the polar load of the juice can be exchanged for calcium; or to reduce acidity of the juice after ion exchange processes.

In these types of processes, the invention can be used to reduce the amount of materials in sugar beet juice prior to, or in conjunction with pretreatment with base, prior to ion exchange steps (77); or to reduce the polar load of the sugar beet juice prior to ion exchange steps (77); or to reduce the acidity of the sugar beet juice after the ion exchange steps.

Now referring primarily to Figure 10, with respect to sugar process systems that utilize filtration or ultrafiltration (78) to replace conventional calcium carbonate purification step in the sugar process system as described above, it can be understood from United States Patent No.

4,432,806, hereby incorporated by reference, that base, such as lime can be used to pretreat juice so that it may more readily be filtered (50).

In these types of processes, the invention can be used to reduce the amount of material in sugar beet juice prior to, or in conjunction with pretreatment with base, to allow materials to reach their isoelectric points and generate floe, aggregate, or to otherwise generate solid particulates that can be filtered from the sugar beet juice. These examples of specific embodiments of the invention are specifically intended to be illustrative of the broader generic concept of utilizing the lowered solubility of heated juice to certain materials, gases, volatile compounds, acids, or the like to affirmatively monitor, assess, or control the concentration of these materials through one of or a combination of controlling the partial pressures of gases presented to the surface of heated diffusion juices or increasing the surface area of the heated juice exposed to a desired partial pressure of gases prior to pre-liming steps. The advantages of the invention are to be understood even in the context of small additions of base such as lime to control foaming of juice(s) during processing prior to the preliming step.

EXAMPLE 1

Juice was obtained by conventional tower diffusion of sugar beet cossettes. A control group and an experimental group each consisting of six substantially identical 500 mL aliquots of the diffusion juice were generated. Each aliquot within the confrol group and the experimental group was analyzed to ascertain the pH value. As to each aliquot of the diffusion juice in the control group the pH value was about 6.3. Each aliquot within the control group without any further treatment was titrated to an 11.2 pH endpoint with a solution of 50% wt./vol. caustic soda. Each aliquot within the experimental group was treated in accordance with the invention after which the pH of each aliquot was ascertained and each experimental aliquot titrated in substantially identical fashion to the control group to an 11.2 pH endpoint with a solution of 50% wt./vol. caustic soda.

The results are set out in Table 1 below. As can be understood from the table each aliquot of juice prior to any treatment had a pH of about 6.3. The experimental group after treatment in accordance with the invention had mcreased pH values without tlie addition of any base, and required a reduced amount of caustic soda to achieve the 11.2 pH endpoint as compared to the control group. TABLE 1.

The reduction in the amount of caustic soda to reach the 11.2 pH endpoint for the aliquots of juice in the experimental group treated in accordance with the invention as compared to the aliquots of juice in the untreated control group was between about 15.8% and about 22.2%.

EXAMPLE 2.

Juice was obtained by conventional tower diffusion of sugar beet cossettes. A control group and an experimental group each consisting of five substantially identical 500 mL aliquots of the diffusion juice were generated. Each aliquot within the control group and the experimental group was analyzed to ascertain the pH value. As to each aliquot of the diffusion juice in the control group the pH value was about 6.1. Each aliquot within the control group without any further treatment was titrated to an 11.2 pH endpoint with a solution of 30 brixs milk of lime. Each aliquot within the experimental group was treated in accordance with the invention after which the pH of each aliquot was ascertained and each experimental aliquot titrated in substantially identical fashion to the control group to an 11.2 pH endpoint with a solution of 30 brixs milk of lime.

The results are set out in Table 2 below. As can be understood from the table each aliquot of juice prior to any treatment had a pH of about 6.1. The experimental group after treatment in accordance with the invention had increased pH values without the addition of any base, and required a reduced amount of milk of lime to achieve the 11.2 pH endpoint as compared to the control group.

TABLE 2.

The reduction in the amount of milk of lime to reach the 11.2 pH endpoint for the aliquots of juice in the experimental group treated in accordance with the invention as compared to the aliquots of juice in the untreated control group was between about 25.0% and about

28.3%.

Also, the data set out in Table 1 and Table 2 provides a comparison of two different types of diffusion apparatus and diffusion methods. Importantly, the data shows that different diffusers or different diffusion methods can generate diffusion juice having significantly different pH values even though pH values attributed to each type of diffusion technology can be substantially internally consistent. See for example the initial pH value of the untreated diffusion juice in Table 1 which shows a pH value of 6.3 as compared to the untreated diffusion juice in Table 2 which a pH value of 6.1.

EXAMPLE 3. Diffusion juice was obtained by conventional tower diffusion of sugar beet cossettes and treated in accordance with the invention using the embodiment shown by Figures 12 and 13 having location between the mixer and the pre-limer. Diffusion juice dispersed at a rate of about 100 cubic foot per minute into a flow of atmospheric gases generated at a rate of about 400 cubic foot per minute (counter current path of 72 inches x 72 inches with couter current path height of about 144 inches) generated transfer a variety of substances from the dispersed juice as identified by gas chiOmatogrπph/mass spectra analysis shown in Tables 1 and 2 below:

TABLE 3.

Table 3 shows gas chromatography analysis of samples SMBSC 1 and SMBSC 2 (condensates obtained from gas flow after counter current exchange with juice as described herein) with the chromatographs of those samples compared with a gas chromatograph of a sample of a standard mixture of organic acids listed as 1-9 above. As can be understood, treatment of juice in accordance with the invention removed varying amounts of each organic acid included in the standard mixture TABLE 4.

Table 4 shows gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry analysis of sample SMSBC5 D (condensates obtained from gas flow after counter current, exchange with juice as described herein without use of reduced pressure with a juice temperature of between 60°C and 70°C with the chromatograph of this sample showing various volatle compounds rising above a base line having a curvature predominated by a variety of alcohols.

It should also be understood that a variety of changes may be made without departing from the essence of the invention. Such changes are also implicitly included in the description. They still fall within the scope of this invention. A broad disclosure encompassing both the explicit embodiment(s) shown, the great variety of implicit alternative embodiments, and the broad methods or processes and the like are encompassed by this disclosure and may be relied for support of the claims of this application. It should be understood that any such language changes and broad claiming is herein accomplished. This full patent application is designed to support a patent covering numerous aspects of the invention both independently and as an overall system.

Thus, the applicant(s) should be understood to claim at least: i) each of the juice process systems as herein disclosed and described, ii) the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these devices and methods, iv) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, v) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, vi) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the resulting products produced by such systems or components, ix) methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to any of the accompanying examples, x) the various combinations and permutations of each of the previous elements disclosed, xi) processes performed with the aid of or on a computer as described throughout the above discussion, xii) a programmable apparatus as described throughout the above discussion, xiii) a computer readable memory encoded with data to direct a computer comprising means or elements which function as described throughout the above discussion, xiv) a computer configured as herein disclosed and described, xv) individual or combined subroutines and programs as herein disclosed and described, xvi) the related methods disclosed and described, xvii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these systems and methods, xviii) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, xix) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, xx) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, xxi) the various combinations and permutations of each of the above, and xxii) each potentially dependent claim or concept as a dependency on each and eveiy one of the independent claims or concepts presented.

Claims

VI. CLAIMS I claim:

1. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing a sugar beet juice aeration element; b) flowing sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element; c) flowing a gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element; and d) transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas as each flows within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

2. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1 , wherein sugar beet juice comprises juice obtained from sugar beets.

3. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1 , wherein sugar beet juice comprises process liquid obtained from diffusion of sugar beets.

4. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein sugar beet juice comprises process liquids obtained from tower diffusion of sugar beets.

5. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein sugar beet juice comprises process liquids obtained from slope diffusion of sugar beets.

6. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of a volatile organic compound; a volatile inorganic compound; a volatile acid; a volatile base; a gas; an acetaldehyde; an ethanol; an acetone; a dimethylsulfide; a 2-propenenitrile; a methyl acetate; an isopropanal; a 2-methyl propanal; a methacrolein; a 2-methyl-2-propanol; a propanenitrile; a 1-propanol; 2-butanone; a 2,3- butanedion; an ethyl acetate; a 2 butanol; a methyl propanoate; a 2- butanal; a 3-methylbutanal; a 3-methyl-2-butanone; an isopropal acetate; a 2-methyl butanal; a 1-butanol, a 2-butenenitrile; a 2-pentanone; a 2,3-pentanedione; an ethyl propanoate; a propyl acetate; a 3-methyl butanentrile; a methyl isobutyl ketone; a 2-methyl-2-butenal; a 3 methyl- 1-butanol; an isopropyl propanoate; a isobutyl acetate; a 2-methyl-3 -pentanol; a 2,3-hexanedione; a 2-hexanone; an ethyl butanoate; a butyl acetate; a 4-methyl pentanenitrile; a 2-hexenal; a 3 -methyl- 1-butanol acetate; a 3- heptanone; a 2-heptanone; a 5-hepten-2-one; a heptanal; a 3-octene-2-one; a 2-heptenal; a 3- octanone; a butyl butanoate; a 2-methoxy-3 -isopropyl pyrazine; a 2-methoxy-3-(l- methylpropyl)pyrazine; an alcohol; an aldehyde; a ketone; a volatile acid; a carbon monoxide; a carbon dioxide; a sulfur dioxide; a lactic acid; a D-lactic acid; an L-lactic acid; an aldehyde; an alcohol; a ketone; an ester; a nitrile; a sulfide; a pyrazine; an acid; an acetic acid; a carbonic acid; a propanonic acid; a butanoic acid; a pentanoic acid; a phosphoric acid; a hydrochloric acid; a sulfuric acid; a sulfurous acid; a citric acid; an oxalic acid; a succinic acid; a fumaric acid; a glycolic acid; a pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid; a formic acid; an acetic acid; a butyric acid; a maleic acid; a 3-methylbutanoic; a 5-methylhexanoic; a hexanoic acid; and a heptanoic acid.

7. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said gas comprises a mixture of gases.

8. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 7, wherein said mixture of gases has a pressure which allows transfer of said material from said sugar beet juice.

9. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said gas is selected from tlie group consisting of atmospheric gases, filtered atmospheric gases, air, filtered air, a mixture of gas having selected partial pressures of gases.

10. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein about four to about eight volumes of said gas flows through said sugar beet juice aeration element for each volume of sugar beet juice which flows through said sugar beet juice aeration element.

11. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1 , further comprising tlie step of generating an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface.

12. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 11, wherein said step of generating an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface comprises altering surface area of said sugar beet juice.

13. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 11, wherein said step of generating an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface comprises dispersing said sugar beet juice into smaller volumes of sugar beet juice.

14. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 13, wherein dispersing said sugar beet juice into smaller volumes of sugar beet juice comprises generating droplets of sugar beet juice.

15. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 14, wherein said droplets of sugar beet juice have a range of diameter selected from the group of between about 1 millimeter and about 2 millimeters, between about 1.5 millimeters and about 2 millimeters, between about 2 millimeters and about 3 millimeters, between about 2.5 millimeters and 3.5 millimeters, and between about 3.0 millimeters and about 4.0 millimeters.

16. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 11, wherein said step of generating an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface comprises generating a mixture of said gas and said sugar beet juice.

17. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 16, wherein said step of generating said mixture of said gas and said sugar beet juice comprises injecting gas into said sugar beet juice.

18. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 16, wherein generating a mixture of said gas and said sugar beet juice comprises sparging gas into said sugar beet juice.

19. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of flowing an amount of sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises flowing a continuous stream of juice.

20. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of flowing an amount of sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises flowing a discontinuous stream of juice.

21. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of flowing an amount of sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element and said step of flowing a gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises flowing said sugar beet juice countercurrent to said gas.

22. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 21, wherein said sugar beet juice is dispersed as droplets.

23. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1 or 22, further comprising the step of generating a flow of said gas out of said sugar beet aeration element which contains material transferred from said sugar beet juice.

24. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 23, further comprising the step of reducing gas pressure on said sugar beet juice.

25. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 24, further comprising the step of separating gas from said mixture of said gas and said sugar beet juice.

26. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas reduces concentration of hydronium ion in said sugar beet juice.

27. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas reduces capacity of said sugar beet juice to generate hydronium ion.

28. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas increases pH value of said sugar beet juice an amount selected from the group consisting of 0.1 pH, 0.2 pH, 0.3 pH, 0.4 pH, 0.5 pH, 0.6 pH, 0.7 pH, 0.8 pH, 0.9 pH, 1.0 pH, 1.1 pH, 1.2, pH1.3, pH1.4, pH1.5, pH1.6, pH1.7, pH1.8, pH1.9, 2.0 pH.

29. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of fransfeixing an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas reduces addition of base to a volume of said sugar beet juice to establish a pH value of between about 11.0 and about 12.0.

30. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas reduces addition of base to a volume of said sugar beet juice to establish a pH value of between about 11.5 and about 12.5.

31. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas reduces addition of base to a volume of said sugar beet juice to establish a pH value corresponding to an iso-electric point of at least one material in said sugar beet juice.

32. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas reduces aqueous acids formed in said sugar beet juice.

33. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas reduces sugar beet juice foam.

34. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, wherein said step of transfeixing an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas increases settling of floe within said sugar beet juice.

35. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of adding an amount of base to said juice prior to said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas as each flows within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

36. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 35, wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and milk of lime.

37. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining said sugar beet juice at a substantially constant temperature selected within the range of 60°C and 85°C.

38. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 37, further comprising the step of maintain said sugar beet juice at a substantially constant temperature selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 7PC, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

39. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 37, further comprising the step of controlling temperature of said gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element to maintain a temperature selected from the group of selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

40. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 1, further comprising the step of flowing an oxidant within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

41. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 40, wherein said oxidant is select from the group of an ozone, air, and oxygen.

42. A treated sugar beet juice produced in accordance with claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19, 21, 24, 25, 37, or 40.

43. Sugar obtained from said treated sugar beet juice produced in accordance with claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 14, 19, 21, 24, 25, 37, or 40.

44. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus, comprising a) a containment element; b) a sugar beet juice inlet coupled to said containment element through which sugar beet juice flows into said containment element; c) a sugar beet juice outlet coupled to said containment element through which sugar beet juice flows from said containment element; d) a gas inlet coupled to said containment element through which gas flows into said containment element; e) a gas outlet coupled to said containment element through which gas flows from said containment element; f) a flow of sugar beet juice established within said containment element between said sugar beet juice inlet and said sugar beet juice outlet; and g) a flow of gas established within said containment element between said gas inlet and said gas outlet, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice and said flow of gas within said containment element transfers an amount of material from said flow of juice to said flow of gas.

45. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice comprises a flow of juice obtained from sugar beets.

46. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice comprises a flow of process liquid obtained from diffusion of sugar beet material.

47. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice comprises a flow of process liquid obtained from tower diffusion of sugar beet material.

48. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice comprises a flow of process liquid obtained from slope diffusion of sugar beet material.

49. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said amount of material is selected from the group consisting of a volatile organic compound; a volatile inorganic compound; a volatile acid; a volatile base; a gas; an acetaldehyde; an ethanol; an acetone; a dimethylsulfide; a 2-propenenitrile; a methyl acetate; an isopropanal; a 2-methyl propanal; a methacrolein; a 2-methyl-2-propanol; a propanenitrile; a 1-propanol; 2-butanone; a 2,3-butanedion; an ethyl acetate; a 2 butanol; a methyl propanoate; a 2- butanal; a 3- methylbutanal; a 3-methyl-2-butanone; an isopropal acetate; a 2-methyl butanal; a 1-butanol, a 2-butenenitrile; a 2-pentanone; a 2,3-pentanedione; an ethyl propanoate; a propyl acetate; a 3- methyl butanentrile; a methyl isobutyl ketone; a 2-methyl-2-butenal; a 3 methyl- 1-butanol; an isopropyl propanoate; a isobutyl acetate; a 2-methyl-3 -pentanol; a 2,3-hexanedione; a 2- hexanone; an ethyl butanoate; a butyl acetate; a 4-methyl pentanenitrile; a 2-hexenal; a 3- methyl- 1-butanol acetate; a 3-heptanone; a 2-heptanone; a 5-hepten-2-one; a heptanal; a 3- octene-2-one; a 2-heptenal; a 3-octanone; a butyl butanoate; a 2-methoxy-3 -isopropyl pyrazine; a 2-methoxy-3-(l-methylpropyl)pyrazine; an alcohol; an aldehyde; a ketone; a volatile acid; a carbon monoxide; a carbon dioxide; a sulfur dioxide; a lactic acid; a D-lactic acid; an L-lactic acid; an aldehyde; an alcohol; a ketone; an ester; a nitrile; a sulfide; a pyrazine; an acid; an acetic acid; a carbonic acid; a propanonic acid; a butanoic acid; a pentanoic acid; a phosphoric acid; a hydrochloric acid; a sulfuric acid; a sulfurous acid; a citric acid; an oxalic acid; a succinic acid; a fumaric acid; a glycolic acid; a pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid; a formic acid; an acetic acid; a butyric acid; a maleic acid; a 3-methylbutanoic; a 5-methylhexanoic; a hexanoic acid; and a heptanoic acid.

50. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of gas comprises a mixture of gases.

51. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 56, wherein said mixture of gases has a pressure which allows transfer of said material from said sugar beet juice.

52. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of gas is selected from the group consisting of atmospheric gases, filtered atmospheric gases, air, filtered air, a gas having a selected partial pressures of gases.

53. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises a flow of gas of about four to about eight volumes within said sugar beet juice aeration element for each volume of sugar beet juice which flows within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

54. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a gas- sugar beet juice interface increased in area by dispersal of said sugar beet juice into smaller volumes.

55. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 54, wherein dispersal of said sugar beet juice into smaller volumes comprises dispersal of said sugar beet juice as droplets.

56. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 55, wherein droplets have a range of diameter selected from the group of between about 1 millimeter and about 2 millimeters, between about 1.5 millimeters and about 2 millimeters, between about 2 millimeters and about 3 millimeters, between about 2.5 millimeters and 3.5 millimeters, between about 3.0 millimeters and about 4.0 millimeters.

57. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a gas- sugar beet juice interface which has a surface area increased by mixture of said gas into said sugar beet juice.

58. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a gas- sugar beet juice interface which has a surface area increased by injecting said gas into said sugar beet juice.

59. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a gas- sugar beet juice interface which has a surface area increased by sparging said gas into said sugar beet juice.

60. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises a continuous flow of juice.

61. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises a discontinuous flow of juice.

62. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a counter current flow of said gas and said sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

63. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a pressure reduction element which removes said gas to which said amount of material has been transferred.

64. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising an amount of base added to said juice prior to said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas as each flows within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

65. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 64, wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, milk of lime.

66. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a heat source to maintain said sugar beet juice at a substantially constant temperature selected within the range of 60°C and 85°C.

67. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a heat source to maintain said sugar beet juice at a substantially constant temperature selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

68. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a heat source to maintain temperature of said gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element at a temperature selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

69. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 44, further comprising a flow of oxidant within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

70. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 69, wherein said oxidant is select from the group of an ozone, oxygen, and air.

71. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing an evacuation element; b) flowing an amount of sugar beet juice within said evacuation element; c) lowering pressure of a gas within said evacuation element; d) transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element; and e) removing from said evacuation element said amount of material transferred from said sugar beet juice.

72. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein sugar beet juice comprises juice obtained from sugar beets.

73. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71 , wherein sugar beet juice comprises process liquid obtained from diffusion of sugar beets.

7 . A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71 , wherein sugar beet juice comprises process liquids obtained from tower diffusion of sugar beets.

75. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71 , wherein sugar beet juice comprises process liquids obtained from slope diffusion of sugar beets.

76. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of a volatile organic compound; a volatile inorganic compound; a volatile acid; a volatile base; a gas; an acetaldehyde; an ethanol; an acetone; a dimethylsulfide; a 2-propenenitrile; a methyl acetate; an isopropanal; a 2-methyl propanal; a methacrolein; a 2-methyl-2-propanol; a propanenitrile; a 1-propanol; 2-butanone; a 2,3- butanedion; an ethyl acetate; a 2 butanol; a methyl propanoate; a 2- butanal; a 3-methylbutanal; a 3-methyl-2-butanone; an isopropal acetate; a 2-methyl butanal; a 1-butanol, a 2-butenenitrile; a 2-pentanone; a 2,3-pentanedione; an ethyl propanoate; a propyl acetate; a 3-methyl butanentrile; a methyl isobutyl ketone; a 2-methyl-2-butenal; a 3 -methyl- 1-butanol; an isopropyl propanoate; a isobutyl acetate; a 2-methyl-3-pentanol; a 2,3-hexanedione; a 2-hexanone; an ethyl butanoate; a butyl acetate; a 4-methyl pentanenitrile; a 2-hexenal; a 3-methyl- 1-butanol acetate; a 3- heptanone; a 2-heptanone; a 5-hepten-2-one; a heptanal; a 3-octene-2-one; a 2-heptenal; a 3- octanone; a butyl butanoate; a 2-methoxy-3 -isopropyl pyrazine; a 2-methoxy-3-(l- methylpropyl)pyrazine; an alcohol; an aldehyde; a ketone; a volatile acid; a carbon monoxide; a carbon dioxide; a sulfur dioxide; a lactic acid; a D-lactic acid; an L-lactic acid; an aldehyde; an alcohol; a ketone; an ester; a nitrile; a sulfide; a pyrazine; an acid; an acetic acid; a carbonic acid; a propanonic acid; a butanoic acid; a pentanoic acid; a phosphoric acid; a hydrochloric acid; a sulfuric acid; a sulfurous acid; a citric acid; an oxalic acid; a succinic acid; a fumaric acid; a glycolic acid; a pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid; a formic acid; an acetic acid; a butyric acid; a maleic acid; a 3-methylbutanoic; a 5-methylhexanoic; a hexanoic acid; and a heptanoic acid.

77. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71 , wherein said gas comprises a mixture of gases.

78. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of lowering pressure of a gas within said evacuation element comprises lowering pressure of a mixture of gases within said evacuation element to allow transfer of said material from said sugar beet juice.

79. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, further comprising the step of generating an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface.

80. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 79, wherein said step of generating an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface comprises altering configuration of the surface of said sugar beet juice.

81. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 79, wherein said step of generating an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface comprises dispersing said an amount of sugar beet juice into smaller volumes of sugar beet juice.

82. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 81, wherein dispersing said an amount of sugar beet juice into smaller volumes of sugar beet juice comprises generating droplets of sugar beet juice.

83. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 82, wherein droplets have a range of diameter selected from the group of between about 1 millimeter and about 2 millimeters, between about 1.5 millimeters and about 2 millimeters, between about 2 millimeters and about 3 millimeters, between about 2.5 millimeters and 3.5 millimeters, between about 3.0 millimeters and about 4.0 millimeters.

84. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71 , further comprising the step of maintaining said sugar beet juice at a temperature within the range of 60°C and 85°C.

85. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, further comprising the step of maintaining said sugar beet juice at a substantially constant temperature selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

86. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71 , further comprising the step of controlling temperature of said gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element to maintain a temperature selected from the group of selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

87. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces concentration of hydronium ion in said sugar beet juice.

88. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces capacity of said sugar beet juice to generate hydronium ion.

89. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces increases pH value of said sugar beet juice an amount selected from the group consisting of 0.1 pH, 0.2 pH, 0.3 pH, 0.4 pH, 0.5 pH, 0.6 pH, 0.7 pH, 0.8 pH, 0.9 pH, 1.0 pH, 1.1 pH, 1.2, pH1.3, pH1.4, pH1.5, pH1.6, pH1.7, pH1.8, pH1.9, 2.0 pH.

90. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces addition of base to a volume of said sugar beet juice to establish a pH value of between about 11.0 and about 12.0.

91. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces addition of base to a volume of said sugar beet juice to establish a pH value of between about 11.5 and about 12.5.

92. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces addition of base to a volume of said sugar beet juice to establish a pH value coixesponding to an iso-electric point of at least one material in said sugar beet juice.

93. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transfeixing an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces aqueous acids formed in said sugar beet juice.

94. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transfeixing an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element reduces sugar beet juice foam.

95. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, wherein said step of transfeixing an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element increases settling of floe within said sugar beet juice.

96. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, further comprising the step of adding an amount of base to said juice prior to said step of transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing within said evacuation element.

97. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 96, wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and milk of lime.

98. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 71, further comprising the steps of: a) providing a sugar beet juice aeration element; b) flowing said sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element; c) flowing said gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element; and d) transfeixing an amount of material from said sugar beet juice to said gas as each flows within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

99. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 98, wherein said step of flowing said sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element and said step of flowing said gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises flowing said sugar beet juice countercurrent to said gas.

100. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 98, wherein said sugar beet juice is dispersed as droplets.

101. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 98, wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of atmospheric gases, filtered atmospheric gases, air, filtered air, a gas having a selected partial pressures of gases.

102. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 98, wherein about four to about eight volumes of said gas flows through said sugar beet juice aeration element for each volume of sugar beet juice which flows through said sugar beet juice aeration element.

103. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 98, further comprising the step of maintaining said sugar beet juice at a temperature within the range of 60°C and 85°C.

104. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 98, further comprising the step of flowing an oxidant within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

105. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 104, wherein said oxidant is select from the group of an ozone, oxygen, and air.

106. A treated sugar beet juice produced in accordance with claim 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 78, 79, 82, 84, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, or 104.

107. Sugar obtained from a treated sugar beet juice produced in accordance with claim 71 , 72, 73, 74, 75, 78, 79, 82, 84, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, or 104.

108. A sugar beet juice evacuation element, comprising: a) a containment element having a sugar beet juice inlet and a sugar beet juice outlet; and b) a gas removal element coupled to said containment element, wherein said gas removal element reduces pressure within said containment element to transfer material from a flow of sugar beet juice established between said sugar beet juice inlet and said sugar beet juice outlet.

109. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, wherein said sugar beet juice comprises juice obtained from sugar beets.

110. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, wherein said sugar beet juice comprises process liquid obtained from diffusion of sugar beets.

111. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, wherein said sugar beet juice comprises process liquids obtained from tower diffusion of sugar beets.

112. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108_, wherein said sugar beet juice comprises process liquids obtained from slope diffusion of sugar beets.

113. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of a volatile organic compound; a volatile inorganic compound; a volatile acid; a volatile base; a gas; an acetaldehyde; an ethanol; an acetone; a dimethylsulfide; a 2-propenenitrile; a methyl acetate; an isopropanal; a 2-methyl propanal; a methacrolein; a 2-methyl-2-propanol; a propanenitrile; a 1-propanol; 2-butanone; a 2,3- butanedion; an ethyl acetate; a 2 butanol; a methyl propanoate; a 2- butanal; a 3-methylbutanal; a 3-methyl-2-butanone; an isopropal acetate; a 2-methyl butanal; a 1-butanol, a 2-butenenitrile; a 2-pentanone; a 2,3-pentanedione; an ethyl propanoate; a propyl acetate; a 3-methyl butanentrile; a methyl isobutyl ketone; a 2-methyl-2-butenal; a 3 methyl- 1-butanol; an isopropyl propanoate; a isobutyl acetate; a 2-methyl-3 -pentanol; a 2,3-hexanedione; a 2-hexanone; an ethyl butanoate; a butyl acetate; a 4-methyl pentanenitrile; a 2-hexenal; a 3 -methyl- 1-butanol acetate; a 3- heptanone; a 2-heptanone; a 5-hepten-2-one; a heptanal; a 3-octene-2-one; a 2-heptenal; a 3- octanone; a butyl butanoate; a 2-methoxy-3 -isopropyl pyrazine; a 2-methoxy-3-(l- methylpropyl)pyrazine; an alcohol; an aldehyde; a ketone; a volatile acid; a carbon monoxide; a carbon dioxide; a sulfur dioxide; a lactic acid; a D-lactic acid; an L-lactic acid; an aldehyde; an alcohol; a ketone; an ester; a nitrile; a sulfide; a pyrazine; an acid; an acetic acid; a carbonic acid; a propanonic acid; a butanoic acid; a pentanoic acid; a phosphoric acid; a hydrochloric acid; a sulfuric acid; a sulfurous acid; a citric acid; an oxalic acid; a succinic acid; a fumaric acid; a glycolic acid; a pyrrolidone-carboxylic acid; a formic acid; an acetic acid; a butyric acid; a maleic acid; a 3-methylbutanoic; a 5-methylhexanoic; a hexanoic acid; and a heptanoic acid.

114. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, wherein said gas comprises a mixture of gases.

115. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, wherein said a gas has a pressure within said evacuation element which allows transfer of said material from said sugar beet juice.

116. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, further comprising an increased gas-sugar beet juice interface.

117. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 116, wherein said increased gas-sugar beet juice interface comprises an altered surface of said sugar beet juice.

118. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 116, wherein said increased gas-sugar beet juice interface comprises said sugar beet juice dispersed into smaller volumes.

119. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 116, wherein said sugar beet juice dispersed into smaller volumes comprises droplets of sugar beet juice.

120. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 119, wherein said droplets have a range of diameter selected from the group of between about 1 millimeter and about 2 millimeters, between about 1.5 millimeters and about 2 millimeters, between about 2 millimeters and about 3 millimeters, between about 2.5 millimeters and 3.5 millimeters, between about 3.0 millimeters and about 4.0 millimeters.

121. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, further comprising a heat source to maintain said sugar beet juice at a temperature within the range of 60°C and 85°C.

122. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus as described in claim 108, further comprising a heat source to maintain said sugar beet juice at a substantially constant temperature selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

123. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, further comprising a heat source to control temperature of said gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element to maintain a temperature selected from the group of selected from the group of about 60°C, about 61°C, about 62°C, about 63°C, about 64°C, about 65°C, about 66°C, about 67°C, about 68°C, about 69°C, about 70°C, about 71°C, about 72°C, about 73°C about 74°C about 75°C, about 76°C, about 77°C, about 78°C, about 79°C, about 80°C, about 81°C, about 82°C, about 83°C, about 84°C, and about 85°C.

124. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, further comprising an amount of base added prior to establishing said flow of sugar beet juice between said sugar beet juice inlet and said sugar beet juice outlet within said evacuation element.

125. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 124, wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of calcium oxide, calcium hydroxide, and milk of lime.

126. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 108, further comprising the steps of: a) a sugar beet juice aeration element; b) a flow of said sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element; c) a flow of gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element; and d) an amount of material transferred from said sugar beet juice to said gas as each flows within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

127. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 126, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice within said sugar beet juice aeration element and said flow of said gas within said sugar beet juice aeration element comprises a counter current flow of said sugar beet juice and said gas.

128. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 126, wherein said sugar beet juice is dispersed within said aeration element as droplets.

129. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 126, wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of atmospheric gases, filtered atmospheric gases, air, filtered air, a gas having a selected partial pressures of gases.

130. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 126, wherein about four to about eight volumes of said gas flows through said sugar beet juice aeration element for each volume of sugar beet juice which flows through said sugar beet juice aeration element.

131. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 126, further comprising heater element to maintain said sugar beet juice at a temperature within the range of 60°C and 85°C.

132. A sugar beet juice evacuation element as described in claim 126, further comprising a flow of oxidant within said sugar beet juice aeration element.

133. A method of processing sugar beet juice as described in claim 132, wherein said oxidant is selected from the group of an ozone, oxygen, and air.

134. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) flowing sugar beet juice through a conduit; b) enfraining an amount of gas in said sugar beet juice; c) transferring an amount of material from said sugar beet juice flowing in said conduit to said amount of gas; and d) separating said gas from said sugar beet juice.

135. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) obtaining sugar beet juice from sugar beets, wherein said sugar beet juice contains material transferable to a mixture of gases; b) exposing said sugar beet juice to said mixture of gases; c) transfeixing an amount of said material from said sugar beet juice to said mixture of gases; and d) reducing said material within said juice.

136. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing sugar beet juice; b) providing a gas; c) generating a gas-sugar beet juice interface; and d) transferring material from said sugar beet juice to said gas at said interface.

137. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing a gas; b) providing sugar beet juice having a surface at which material transfers to said gas; and c) adjusting partial pressures of said gas to transfer at least one material from said sugar beet juice.

138. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing sugar beet juice b) exposing said sugar beet juice to a gas; c) transfeixing material from said sugar beet juice to said gas; d) separating said gas containing said material transferred from said sugar beet juice to generate a treated sugar beet juice; e) increasing pH of said treated sugar beet juice over a duration of time to establish said treated sugar beet juice at a pH, wherein said duration of time to establish said pH is less compared to sugar beet juice;

139. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing sugar beet juice b) exposing said sugar beet juice to a gas; c) transferring material from said sugar beet juice to said gas; d) separating said gas containing said material transferred from said sugar beet juice to generate a treated sugar beet juice; and e) increasing pH of said treated sugar beet juice by addition of an amount of base to establish said treated sugar beet juice at a pH, wherein said amount of base added to establish said pH is less compared to sugar beet juice.

140. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing sugar beet juice b) exposing said sugar beet juice to a gas; c) transfeixing material from said sugar beet juice to said gas; d) separating said gas containing said material transferred from said sugar beet juice to generate a treated sugar beet juice; and e) increasing pH of said treated sugar beet juice to generate an amount of floe within said treated sugar beet juice, wherein said amount of floe generated within said freated sugar beet juice has a settling rate greater than within sugar beet juice.

141. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing sugar beet juice; b) exposing said sugar beet juice to a gas; c) transferring material from said sugar beet juice to said gas; d) separating said gas containing said material transferred from said sugar beet juice to generate a treated sugar beet juice; and e) increasing pH of said treated sugar beet juice; f) reducing amount of at least one impurity in said treated sugar beet juice, wherein amount of said at least one impurity in said freated sugar beet juice is less than amount said at least one impurity in sugar beet juice.

142. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing sugar beet juice b) exposing said sugar beet juice to a gas; c) transferring material from said sugar beet juice to said gas; d) separating said gas containing said material fransferred from said sugar beet juice to generate a treated sugar beet juice; and e) increasing pH of said treated sugar beet juice; f) adding flocculation aid to said treated sugar beet juice; and g) generating floe in said freated sugar beet juice, wherein floe is generated with less flocculation aid as compared to sugar beet juice.

143. A method of processing sugar beet juice, comprising the steps of: a) providing sugar beet juice b) exposing said sugar beet juice to a gas; c) fransferring material from said sugar beet juice to said gas; d) separating said gas containing said material transferred from said sugar beet juice to generate a treated sugar beet juice; and e) increasing pH of said treated sugar beet juice; f) generating an amount of foam associated with said treated sugar beet juice, wherein said amount of foam associated with said treated sugar beet juice is less than as compared to said amount of foam associated with sugar beet juice.

144. A sugar beet juice aeration apparatus, comprising a) a contaimnent element; b) a sugar beet juice inlet coupled to said containment element tlirough which sugar beet juice flows into said containment element; c) a sugar beet juice outlet coupled to said containment element through which sugar beet juice flows from said containment element; d) a gas inlet coupled to said contaimnent element through which gas flows into said containment element; e) a gas outlet coupled to said containment element through which gas flows from said containment element; f) a flow of sugar beet juice established within said containment element between said sugar beet juice inlet and said sugar beet juice outlet; and a flow of gas estabhshed within said containment element between said gas inlet and said gas outlet, wherein said flow of sugar beet juice and said flow of gas within said containment element transfer an amount of material from said flow of juice to said flow of gas.